Benthall: Nick speaks to the nation

Shrewsbury Jelly: paying the rent

Every month a motley collection of homeworkers gather together in Shrewsbury and work alongside each other for a day. This is Jelly. Which is a curious name but a great concept. In Shrewsbury we use rooms at Reviive CIC a newish social enterprise on the Battlefield Trading Estate.

They don’t charge us; which is fantastic. They do incur some costs though. We hammer their wifi, turn their electricity into heat and there is an opportunity cost of them losing paying customers. Now Reviive is pretty relaxed about all this but clearly this isn’t the most sustainable model.

We don’t really have a model where we could pay them in actual cash. Jelly is steadfastly free. We can’t do what some other places have done and give them an income by purchasing lunches or so on. So I’ve been talking to one of Reviive’s directors about ways in which we could pay our way, without money.

And this is our proposal:

On 9th May we will hold a special Jelly with a timetable something like this:

 

• 1000-12 noon: Ordinary Jelly
• 1200-1300: Bring and share lunch and a chat with Reviive staff about the business
• 1300-1600(ish): We will organise two workshops:
  - a workshop to develop an online marketing plan for Reviive
  - a focus group allowing a director from Reviive the chance to talk about the business as a whole
• 1600(ish): We’ll all get back together to talk about what we’ve found and to have a full discussion
• 1700: We’ll all go home

 

This agenda is subject to change following a discussion that I hope you will join in with.

Please comment below, or e-mail ben@likeaword.co.uk or tweet with the #tag #jellyrent.

Here are some principles we thought would be a good starter for 10.

- we need to be clear on the tasks to deliver

- we will aim to deliver useful outputs which can be directly implemented

- our involvement stops at the end of the workshop, individuals might volunteer to help out with Reviive but that will be outside of this process.

- we don’t promise that this will work 

 

Any more principles? Let us know.

Flora – l spring at Benthall Hall

So my dog (@kiaword) was released into an unsuspecting garden. She is not conducive to excellence in photography. Her fascination with whatever I am fascinated with is endearing unless I am trying to capture its beauty without the inclusion of 20 kilos of black and white energy. Frankly.

And the Myrtles hadn’t survived the frost. Nick wasn’t delighted to see me capturing his horticultural shame on camera. 

And he had nothing of use to say about Galanthus (snowdrops to you and me) except that they are called Galanthus.

But it was good to be back and to see George Maws’ crocuses poking their heads out.

Do you want to photograph the rhubarb? Nick asked. 

Can you believe that I nearly said no?

See the full gallery on Posterous

Invitation to our Open Day – Friday 15th April

invitation to open day 2.doc View this on Posterous

Evans EasySpace has a lovely new business centre up on Battlefield Enterprise Park. 

They are having an Open Day on Friday 15^th April, 10:00 to 15:00.

They will be providing drinks and light refreshments in the training room throughout the day.

 

They have sent an invitation which should magically appear below and they are welcoming anyone who might be interested.

 

Don't just turn up: they'd like you to confirm your free place for catering purposes.

 

Old House Hereford

Celebrate: we have a full programme of Social Media Surgeries in Shrewsbury

Social Media Surgeries are a brilliant and brilliantly simple idea.

Fill a room with friendly geeks and some computers. Invite volunteers and employees from community and voluntary groups to pop in with their online questions. Put them together with the geeks. Magic. Invented (like many great things) in Birmingham by Nick Booth.

We’ve run three in Shrewsbury (with co-ordination and funding from Shropshire Infrastructure Partnership) over the past few months with moderate success but we hadn’t settled down into a regular pattern. 

 

That’s all changed now because here is a programme of forthcoming Social Media Surgeries:

• Monday 4th April ‘11
• Tuesday 7th June ‘11
• Monday 5th September ‘11
• Monday 7th November ‘11
• Monday 9th January ‘12
• Monday 5th March ‘12
• Monday 14th May ‘12

All 17:30 to 20:00 and all at the LogInn internet cafe in the centre of Shrewsbury.

Find out more here.

And Social Media Surgeries are kicking off in Telford thanks to Telford and Wrekin CVS. Be there on 7th March 2011.

Here is a terrible photo taken at the most recent #shrewsms.

Can you share your business skills with the Voluntary/Community Sector?

Midwest Rural Enterprise CIC is co-ordinating a network of ‘Social Business Mentors’ to work with charities, community groups and social enterprises in Shropshire.

My guess is that mentors will learn as much as the mentored. 

Here’s a flyer if you want to know more:

Download now or preview on posterous

Business_mentor_poster.pdf (96 KB)